Liam Doran, from the INMO, spoke on the show this morning about fining hospitals for overcrowding. The largest union representing nurses says that hospitals should be fined for failing to deal with the recent surge in emergency department overcrowding. The INMO says that while hospitals have been under pressure in the last 10 days, there had been a level of ‘avoidable’ overcrowding. Under a framework to tackle such issues, hospitals can be fined 10,000 euro for failing to ease the problem. INMO Chief Liam Doran says that while improvements have been made in a number of hospitals, there had also been a ‘relapse’ in managing overcrowding on some facilities. He points out that while University Hospital Limerick recorded the highest trolley figure last week, management were engaged in implementing the agreement. He believes that if they weren’t doing that, the situation could be ‘twice as bad’.
Next on the show, we heard from Sorcha Daly, from West Clare Community Childcare Group. Up to 150 people took to the streets of Kilrush last month (February) to voice their frustration at the ongoing closure of their local community childcare service. The crèche, like four others run by West Clare Early Years, closed over the weekend of February 13, giving parents only one day’s notice and leaving hundreds of families facing a childcare crisis. Progress at some of the other affected locations (Kilmihil’s new community service opens today, March 14) and there’s news too for Kilrush, where parents met the funder, Pobal, last Friday to look at two proposals for a community childcare service.
Kilnamona listener, Henry Wilkinson, got in touch with Morning Focus to highlight the issue of illegal dumping on the Claureen River in Ennis. Henry says that the situation, whereby up to 20 refuse sacks are in the water, was brought to his attention by tourists passing the area. Henry says he’s reported the issue to the council who are making preparations to remove it. He’s concerned that the rubbish is visible to visitors travelling to and from the Cliffs of Moher and he’s hoping the situation will be sorted out before the height of the tourist season.
We also heard from listener, James Wiley from Ennis, who goa in touch with the show to describe his experiences with the A&E in UHL.
Joe Downey spoke to Gavin next for the weekly edition of Garda Focus.
Alice O’Farrell is marking five years free of cancer and also the fifth anniversary of the Hope Calendar through which she raised 76,000 euro for the Symptomatic Breast Unit, soon to open at the Leben Building at University Hospital Limerick. Now that the unit is about to open its doors, Alice has decided to put together a cookbook with all funds raised to go to breast services in UHL and the Mid-Western Cancer Foundation. The book involves recipes and tips from chefs across Clare, Limerick and Tipperary. The book will be launched at the Sparkle and Shine Easter Ball at the Strand Hotel, Limerick, on March 26.
Jackie Bonfield, from Midwest Simon Community, spoke next on the show about family homelessness in the Midwest region. Thirty-one children in this region are living in emergency accommodation, as their families are homeless. That’s according to the latest figures from the Department of the Environment which show that a total of 14 families were homeless in the Midwest at the end of January. Of these families, the vast majority (10) were headed by a single parent. At the end of January, the total of homeless adults in the Midwest was 221; more than two-thirds of these (152) are men. Nationally, 884 families with 1,830 children are living in emergency accommodation.
Tomorrow (Tuesday, March 15) has been declared Proclamation Day for schools in Ireland. Students in Clarecastle Primary School will perform a show to commemorate the 1916 Risingm in conjunction with the Clarecastle Heritage Society and Wildlife group. The play, State, will see students from third to sixth class re-enact the historic events under the direction of Zara Starr of the Ultimate Dream Machine. The school has also written a new Proclamation for the next generation, which will be recited on the night as the National Tricolour is raised. The play will take place in Clarecastle Primary School at 11.30am and 7pm tomorrow (Tuesday, March 15). Gavin was joined in studio this morning by Anthony Sharkey, a teacher in Clarecastle Primary School, and Eric Shaw, from the Clarecastle Heritage Society and Wildlife Group.
Next on the show, Clare FM’s Derrick Lynch was joined by Tommy Guilfoyle for the weekly sports panel.
To launch their new album, The Shores of Loch Breda, Elaine Hogan (harp) and Sheila Garry (fiddle) held a very special concert in Bunratty Castle recently. The concert was recorded by Clare FM’s Pat Costello and we heard s selection of the reels, which like the rest of the album, come from the work of concert flute player and composer, the late Paddy O’Donoghue from East Clare. The reels are entitled ‘Nancy’s Fiddle’, ‘New Year’s Luck’ and ‘The Music Room’.
We also heard from Clare FM’s Siofra Mulqueen, who went to a Student Enterprise event in Ennis.
